What good looks like
Young people have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s or college’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
- A school’s or college’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
- Schools and colleges should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each student, and subsequent agreed decisions. All students should have access to these records to support their career development.
- The records of advice given should be integrated with those given at the previous stage of the student’s education (including their secondary school) where these are made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition.
- Schools should collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their education, training or employment destinations for at least three years after they leave school. This data should be used to review a school or college’s careers provision and inform development and continuous improvement.
- Colleges should collect and maintain accurate data for each student on their education, training or employment destinations. This data should be used to review a school or college’s careers provision and inform development and continuous improvement.
Why this matters
- 26% of young people who received free school meals (FSM) in year 11 are not in education or employment (NEET) aged 18-24, compared to 13% of non-FSM students
- High achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to apply to higher education, attend a high-status university, or access high status professional jobs than similarly qualified peers from more affluent backgrounds
- FSM students make up only 16.7% of students in KS5 (16-18 years) academic pathways in comparison to 28% on vocational pathways
- 1,400 more students per year in post-16 EET during 2018/19 connected to schools’ reported Gatsby Benchmark provision.
The benefits of Gatsby benchmark achievement for Post 16 destinations report click here.
Webinar series:
- Exploring approaches to the collection and maintenance of destination data and student records >Webinar (Jan/Feb 2022)
- Making effective use of destinations data >Webinar (Jan/Feb 2022)
- Inclusion and developing careers provision to meet the needs of all students > Webinar (March 2022)
Careers Leaders:
Getting started with BM3
- Refer to the CDI Framework and Skills Builder to ensure that your progressive careers programme scaffolds student knowledge and understanding linked to allow students to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
- Explore how Compass+ can support you with collection and visualisation of Destination Data.
- Consider how you can engage students and track actual and intended destinations. The DfE will soon be releasing updated Destinations Data Good Practice Guide.
- Refer to resource and support from Benchmark 1 relating to strategic planning and evaluation to inform best practice on making effective use of Destination Data.
Training
All Careers Leaders require Outstanding training
For further support with Benchmark 1 register for our fully funded Careers Leader training.
Download our Training Catalogue which includes all the information you need and a helpful comparison guide on the 11 high-quality Training Providers we work with. Here you will be able to choose the right course to suit you and your development, so that you can embed a successful careers programme in your school/college.
Once you have chosen the right course and Training Provider for you, you are all set to register!
Careers in Context: Can Do Approaches
Young people will have had very different experiences during the pandemic and may require different or enhanced support
Opportunity:
- Prioritise working with colleagues from senior leadership team and other key staff to ensure that the careers programme is responsive and effective in supporting and tracking positive destination outcomes for all students.
How:
- Establish systems and processes to track, record and respond to intended and actual destinations ensuring that vulnerable students and those at risk of not making positive transitions are identified and supported.
- Support existing and newly identified vulnerable groups by providing tailored opportunities for advice and support, particularly for newly identified vulnerable groups may include those disproportionately or unexpectedly impacted by Covid-19.
- You can support the most vulnerable students by: Aligning your careers programme to whole school or college initiatives on student engagement and NEET prevention.
- Work with colleagues to understand key groups of students who are most at risk of NEET or not making a positive transition to ensure that your progressive careers programme explicitly meets the needs of these students.
- Analysing destination data and knowledge of local labour market to inform and shape your careers programme.
- Compass+ can support you with tracking and recording student level intended and actual destinations. You can also create custom groups so you can target relevant careers interventions for students with highest need.
- Refer to resource and support from Benchmark 1 relating to strategic planning and evaluation to inform best practice on making effective use of Destination Data.
Education Leaders and Governors:
Education Leaders and Governors: For further information on each Benchmark, to support you in your role, please see the Education Leader, Secondary and College Governor Guides.
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Securing Good Transitions: A resource pack to support the next steps of Key Stage 4 pupils with SEND
This resource pack has been developed by DFN Charitable Foundation and Whole School SEND. The pack provides support, materials and practical tips to teachers and other school-based professionals to secure good transitions and destinations into the next stage of education and/or employment for Key Stage 4 Pupils with SEND.
Seddon lesson plans
These lesson plans, developed with Seddon Construction, support the implementation of careers into the curriculum in Maths in year 11.
SEND Guess my job activity
Developed by the Inspiring Worcestershire Careers Hub team this resource is aimed at settings with young people with SEND.
SEND Shaftesbury learner journey
See a great example of a learner journey within a SEND environment –developed by Shaftesbury High School, a special needs school in Harrow, London.
SEND specific LMI booklets
These are booklets aimed at students with special educational needs.
Spending Sense - SEND Resource
Developed by Young Money (part of Young Enterprise) this resource aims to develop young people's understanding of managing their money, making financial decisions, staying safe online and the world of work.
This is an essential resource as it is specifically designed to ensure that pupils with mild to moderate special educational needs are given the opportunity to develop financial capability.
Springpod
Students can explore hundreds of careers with up to date labour market information. Free and inspiring careers talks and the opportunity to interact and engage with the top employers in the UK.
The ERIC App
A *completely free* career app for students and schools that gives personalised career advice about the 16 creative industries within seconds.
Age group it's available for: 16+
Cost: FREE to download for all young people, teachers, career advisors & other school contacts.
The Panjango Game
The Panjango Game is a fast-moving board game that explores the world of work in a fun way – developing key skills such as teamworking and problem solving.
The Skills to Succeed Academy
These free resources have been developed by Accenture (national).
Resources are relevant, realistic training preparing learners for the entire journey of choosing the right career, finding a job and being successful in the workplace:
- Features innovative simulations providing a safe environment for learners to practice for real life situations e.g., a job interview, first day in a new job.
- Choose from 108 bite-sized, interactive and highly effective online learning modules and 26 downloadable activity packs to consolidate learning.
Three-year data collection plan
Create your own three-year data collection plan by using this example timeline. Gain ideas to shape your own plan while supporting the benchmark requirements.
Transition Guide from Primary to Secondary: enhancing careers education and supporting parental engagement
This resource is designed to support Careers Leaders and other staff involved in the transition process from Key Stage 2 into Key Stage 3, exploring opportunities to embed careers activities and parental engagement across the full range of transition opportunities.
It takes you through the three phases:
- Decision making (Y4,5,6) while children and parents /carers are still considering their options
- Decision made (Y6) once the children have been allocated their secondary school
- Started (Y7) once the children have started their secondary school.